Course Description

This fall course is the fifth course in the Modern Hebrew program. It targets the advanced acquisition level. This course meets three times a week. It introduces Israeli media and literature as tools for language integration. This course is based on the first four core-courses of the Modern Hebrew program. Therefore, knowledge of all of the grammatical core concepts - taught during the first two years of the program - is required.

This course is conducted solely in Hebrew and assumes developed reading and writing Hebrew skills at the intermediate level. The language and culture of Modern Hebrew are integrated into every class session in this course. This course also reviews the grammar of Modern Hebrew by integrating it into the daily work which students perform. The course further introduces new complex grammatical concepts which combine the skill sets students have acquired in the first two years. With the verbal and nominal systems both acquired, this course focuses on the unique structures which the rich morphology of Modern Hebrew supports. It thus explores the generative power of Modern Hebrew, analyzing similarities and differences between the two systems, while learning to combine and deconstruct multiple parts of speech - even when those form a single word.

This advanced-level language course offers students the opportunity to use their structural knowledge of the language, while exercising their communication skills. In doing so, students continue to develop both. Class sessions offer the opportunity to read and discuss a variety of sources in Modern Hebrew. Students also use multimedia resources to watch and listen to Israeli news articles, skits, and programs. All of these tools help introduce topics in the language and culture of Modern Hebrew which are then discussed in class sessions. Following such discussions, students are expected to write essays on the various topics they have encountered. Students will need to use their computers to write their assignments. Consequently, students use their developed computer skills, implementing them into their Hebrew work. Students are expected to participate in all class discussions as well as give in-class presentations on various topics.